Landen Tetil is a Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) member, and female farmer who owns and operates Bean Pole Farm in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Landen grew up in lower Michigan, spending countless summer days on her grandparent’s farm. As a teenager, she worked on a hybrid corn and soybean farm and spent her college summers on an organic vegetable farm. She graduated in 2013 from Northern Michigan University, earning her B.S. in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. After graduation, she moved to north central Wisconsin, where she studied permaculture and received her Permaculture Design Certificate.
It wasn’t until MSU’s North Farm Incubator Program started up in Chatham, MI that Landen began her journey as a small-scale organic vegetable farmer, and Bean Pole Farm was started. Today, she grows vegetables, flowers, and herbs. She is now in year 3 of production and has big plans for its future. Landen’s dream is to provide a whole-diet food share, based on a CSA model including every part of the human diet. Components will include grains, protein, vegetables, fruit, nuts, herbs and a form of sweetness. Landen hopes that one day Bean Pole Farm will be an educational farm, where the community can gather and learn about food, sustainable life systems, and farming.
While visiting Landen at Bean Pole Farm, we were able to ask her a handful of questions and snap some great photos of her giving us a tour of her farm!
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Instead of writing lots of things, I’ll direct you to my website, www.beanpolefarm.com you can find a bio of myself in the Meet Your Farmer tab. You can take whatever info you’d like from there.
Share a little bit about your farming practices and what people should know about how and what you grow?
I am not certified, but I grow completely organic, as is required of all farm incubator participants through the North Farm at UPREC. I have around 80 varieties of vegetables and 30 varieties of flowers growing.
What’s one thing you feel it’s important that people know about you and your farm business?
I raise food with integrity and transparency in mind. My products are wholesome, delicious and good for you, and it was all grown organically, with care. I farm with long-term soil health and longevity in mind.
What’s the biggest challenge about being a farmer?
Overcoming the challenges that come with a sub-100 day growing season, and doing it profitably. I am able to be successful through direct marketing and making personal connections with my customers.
What’s the biggest perk to being a farmer?
Knowing that the food I’m growing is the freshest, tastiest, most nutrient dense I possibly can, and knowing and meeting the people who eat it.
Where can people purchase the produce you grow and where can people learn more about your farm/business? (social media links/newsletter sign up link etc.)
Where to buy: Seasonal CSA share, June – October, more info on the website. Downtown Marquette farmers market, Saturdays 9-1pm.